What is most valuable in secondary education?

[Stacy in NJ]

I know that's an incredibly vague title to a post, but as our society changes and adapts to the 21st century, what is most important educationally to you as you prepare your kiddos for their future?

 

I found this article by Walter Russell Mead interesting. http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2010/08/31/back-to-school/

[Dana]

Interesting article.

 

As I look ahead, what's most important for me educationally is that my son has a good work ethic, then math skills, then communication skills.

[Mama Geek]

I think this article would be spot on if it were talking about a primary education (K-12). The purpose of a college education should be to learn the tools to break into a career field that pays enough and has enough future to be worth pursuing. Once you break into a career field you constantly have to be growing and learning and changing so that you don't become obsolete.

[OrganicAnn]

My list would include (for basic k-12):

Communication skills (both written and verbal)

Basic math (and higher depending on the child's interest)

Problem solving skills

Life long learning

Stick-to-it-ness

Basic sense of history

Exposure to a foreign culture (including language)

Commonsense

Manners

 

I don't think these have really changed over the years.

 

College is a whole different ball of wax.